AN extremely rare black fox which once escaped onto the streets of Manchester brought traffic to a standstill in Somerset four years ago.

Wilf made headlines in 2017 when he was spotted on the loose in Sale, Greater Manchester, where he was being kept as a domestic pet.

He was living at Animal Farm Adventure Park in Burnham-on-Sea, Somerset, where he absconded on December 27, 2020.

A queue of cars built up in the nearby village of Brean as motorists pulled over to take in the unusual sight.

Wilf was soon returned to the care of keeper Krystal Finch, who said he 'loves an adventure'.

Karm Singh was driving home from a walk when he noticed that traffic had stopped up ahead of him and had 'no idea' what he was looking at.

Karm said: "We saw what looked like a stray dog walking in the road. But I noticed what looked like a fluffy feather duster tail - and realised it was a fox."

Experts estimate that around 0.1 per cent of foxes in Britain are melanistic (black), all of which are thought to be a North American type of red fox, with an added trait which changes their fur colour.